The Jaguar I-Pace first appeared in 2019. It was the brand’s first EV but it didn’t capture the hearts & minds of customers due to its high price and low driving range. For 2022, Jaguar has given the I-Pace a few updates to keep it relevant in a fast paced (no pun intended) automotive segment that changes as often as cell phones do.
Performance
Motors – One thing that hasn’t changed for 2022 is the powertrain of the Jaguar I-Pace. It’s still propelled by two electric motors (one in the front and one in the rear) which have a combined output of 394 hp and 512 lb-ft of torque (294 kW & 694 Nm). With the SUV tipping the scales at 2,208 kg (4,868 lbs), the 0-100km/h time is around the 4.5 second mark. That is around the same ballpark figure as the BMW iX which has a little bit more power but also weighs a lot more than this I-Pace.
Like many electric vehicles, off the line acceleration is quick and the response is immediate. But also like other EVs, the acceleration slows down after about 120 km/h (75 mph) with the top speed being at 200 km/h (125 mph). Still, this crossover has plenty of pull around city streets and highways.
Battery & Charging – Another item that remains the same for 2022 is the battery pack. It is still 90 kWh and the EnerGuide (EPA equivalent here in Canada) driving range is 357 km (222 miles). That is quite a bit less than some of its competitors like the Ford Mach-E or BMW iX. But even with the shorter driving range, it’s a fairly efficient EV. I averaged 18 kWh/100km during my time with the car.
At least now it’ll recharge more quickly because one feature that Jaguar did update is the onboard charger. It went from 7 kW to 11 kW. This allows the I-Pace to recharge from a level 2, 11 kw charger in about 9 hours, that’s an improvement of almost 4 hours. From a level 3 DC fast charger, the Jaguar I-Pace can only suck up to 100 kw of energy at its peak which means that from 10% to 80% charging takes approximately 40 minutes. A Hyundai Ioniq 5 can do that same charge in less than 20 minutes.
Braking – This area of the driving dynamics was the biggest let down when I last drove the Jaguar I-Pace. For 2022, the I-Pace’s brakes feel like they’re tuned to have a bit more of a natural feel. As in, it’s a little bit harder to distinguish between regen braking and the physical brakes.
The Jaguar I-Pace has two different regen braking modes; low & high. Low mode is like engine braking in a normal vehicle while high regen braking is like applying a moderate amount of pressure to the brake pedal. However, the high regen braking mode is not a one-pedal driving mode. It will significantly slow the car down but you have to press on the brake pedal below 20-ish km/h (12 mph) to stop the car. That is quite annoying and as such, I leave the regen braking mode in low and drive it like a normal car.
Handling – One of the main reasons why you would consider the 2022 Jaguar I-Pace over another EV is because of its handling dynamics on a twisty road. Most EVs feel planted thanks to the low center of gravity provided by the battery pack. This one feels even more planted.. if that makes any sense. The steering also makes this car enjoyable around twisties. It’s direct and provides a decent amount of feedback to your fingertips. It does become artificially heavier as you switch to the Dynamic drive mode. The car also comes equipped with standard air suspension that firms up just enough in the Dynamics mode to reduce some body roll. It still is a heavy car so it doesn’t completely eliminate body roll but it is a bit more composed. All in all, this is one of the more enjoyable driving EVs on sale today.
Related Articles
Comfort
Ride Comfort – With the addition of the air suspension, the 2022 Jaguar I-Pace has a smooth ride but only in certain environments. What I mean is that on highways, the air suspension is plush and manages to absorb road undulations. On city streets, the ride is still smooth but you can easily feel the shunts of road bumps as you drive over them. It doesn’t feel all that different from other EVs with non-air suspension.
Interior Space – The I-Pace is a fairly long vehicle but interior space is somewhat limited. Headroom is very good in both rows of seats for a sleek crossover such as this but legroom is just average in the front seats. Surprisingly, the back seats have just enough room for my 6’4″ height, even behind my own driving position. One thing to note, a car like the Kia EV6 has more rear legroom and it’s almost identical in length to the I-Pace.
Cargo capacity is on the average size with 656 L (23.2 cu-ft) of space with the rear seats up and 1,453 L (51.3 cu-ft) with the rear seats folded. One thing to note, the trunk opening is a tad on the narrow side. There is also a small compartment under the hood but it’s only big enough for small items such as the charging cable.
Noise, Vibration, & Harshness – Like many other EVs, the 2022 Jaguar I-Pace is silky smooth on the roads. There are no vibrations from the powertrain and on freshly paved roads, it’s like being on an airplane.
If you switch the car to Dynamic mode, enhanced electric sounds get played through the audio system. This is similar to BMW’s Iconic sounds that were produced by Hans Zimmer. I doubt that Jaguar got the composer to produce these sounds but they do provide a sense of excitement when the car is in this mode. Otherwise, wind and tire noises are kept in check.
Odds and Ends
Pricing – The 2022 Jaguar I-Pace is not a cheap EV. It starts at $99,800 CAD ($71,300 USD) with this demo vehicle being equipped to $103,065 CAD ($75,050 USD).
Gadgets – A lot of the convenience features are thankfully included in the base price. These are heated & ventilated seats, dual zone automatic climate control, parking sensors, power liftgate, keyless entry (yes, that is an option on some Jaguar models), leather upholstery, and satellite navigation to name a few. Some options include a head-up display, heated steering wheel, four-zone climate control, and wi-fi data plan for example. The rest are all just cosmetics like the black trim pieces or wheels.
The primary touchscreen is 10” in size and displays an updated infotainment system. This new system operates more smoothly than the previous iteration and is a little bit more logically structured. However, it still has a bit of a steep learning curve among other luxury SUV infotainment systems. It does support wireless Apple CarPlay & wireless Android Auto. The main screen is a little bit customizable with different widgets that can be added, removed, or reorganized to your liking.
Interior Design – The cabin of the 2022 Jaguar I-Pace is a stunning place to be in. Not only does it look great but the materials feel premium. Beneath the aforementioned infotainment screen is a smaller 5.5” screen that displays some climate controls. I’m not a fan of touchscreen controls for the climate but at least Jaguar kept two large dials to each side. These can control the temperature, the fan, and the heated/ventilated seat controls all by pushing or pulling on them. There are also a few physical buttons for the air suspension control, drive modes, and P, R, N, D controls. There’s also a small cubby to place small items underneath those screens. The cabin does feature some gloss black plastic trim pieces but thankfully you can option different materials such as aluminum or carbon fiber trim.
Exterior Design – On the outside, the 2022 Jaguar I-Pace looks identical with the one I test drove in 2019. The only exception being the standard 20” wheels on this one where the other one had optional 22” wheels. But with the sloping roof and glass, rear visibility is not that great. In all, it still is a stylish crossover electric SUV that can still hold its own against the newest crop of EVs.
Safety – The Jaguar I-Pace has every safety and driver aid added as standard for the 2022 model year. These include automatic emergency braking, lane departure with lane keep, blind spot sensors, and adaptive cruise control with lane centering to name a few. The car also uses the blind spot sensors, when stopped, to alert rear occupants of other vehicles coming from behind if they open the doors.
One note on the adaptive cruise control, the system is not as smooth as other adaptive cruise control systems. When it’s following another vehicle and maintaining the distance, you can feel the car treating the brake and acceleration as on/off switches rather than smooth variable switches. So you can feel the jerky motions. They’re not strong, they’re subtle, but it’s there whereas in other vehicles, you don’t feel this. The lane centering system on the other hand is really good.
Warranty – The 2022 Jaguar I-Pace is covered by a 4 year / 80,000 km new vehicle warranty. The battery pack is covered by an 8 year / 160,000 km warranty but that’s only if the battery retains 70% of its charging capacity. In the United States, you guys get one additional year to the new vehicle warranty and the distance is up to 60,000 miles but the battery warranty is the same at 8 years / 100,000 miles with the same 70% condition. For more information on Canadian warranty, click here. For information on U.S.A. warranty, click here.
Conclusion – Overall, the 2022 Jaguar I-Pace feels like the driver’s luxury EV. It has the power, lightness (relatively speaking), and handling dynamics that Jaguar cars are known for. But because EV technology progresses as quickly as PC technology, the short driving range and high starting price doesn’t make it as appealing as a Tesla or a BMW. There could also be the stigma surrounding Jaguar cars as being unreliable vehicles but I’ll let you in on a little secret. I was supposed to compare this car against the Volvo C40. However, it was the Volvo that stopped working as it should and needed to go back for repairs. This I-Pace performed flawlessly. So perhaps things are changing with Jaguar’s vehicle reliability. At least for the EV.
Thank you to Jaguar Canada for providing the vehicle. www.Jaguar.ca
2022 Jaguar I-Pace Gallery
